Joanna
Girl name · #306 in 2025 · Uniqueness 56/100
In 2025, 997 baby girls were named Joanna, placing it at #306 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #305, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,805 girls born in 2025 was named Joanna.
Babies named Joanna per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Joanna first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 26 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1984, when 3,332 girls were named Joanna — good for #88 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Joanna against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Joanna in class?
Joanna scores 56 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Joanna is most common
Geography matters for names, and Joanna is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Joannas were CA (109), TX (104), OH (53), FL (50), PA (44). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Joanna
Statistically, parents drawn to Joanna tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Johanna, Jenna, Leanna, Nina, and Andrea.
JohannaJennaLeannaNinaAndreaAliciaVanessaSabrina
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Joanna | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 997 | #306 |
| 2024 | 945 | #329 |
| 2023 | 918 | #339 |
| 2022 | 1,002 | #321 |
| 2021 | 1,101 | #290 |
| 2020 | 1,176 | #256 |
| 2019 | 1,281 | #254 |
| 2018 | 1,454 | #213 |
| 2017 | 1,352 | #234 |
| 2016 | 1,274 | #247 |
| 2015 | 1,065 | #305 |
| 2014 | 1,022 | #324 |
| 2013 | 945 | #342 |
| 2012 | 974 | #323 |
| 2011 | 976 | #323 |
| 2010 | 1,066 | #305 |
| 2009 | 1,106 | #301 |
| 2008 | 1,194 | #283 |
| 2007 | 1,392 | #252 |
| 2006 | 1,289 | #256 |
| 2005 | 1,167 | #284 |
| 2004 | 1,280 | #251 |
| 2003 | 1,303 | #251 |
| 2002 | 1,335 | #239 |
| 2001 | 1,555 | #206 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Joanna a popular girl name?
Joanna ranked #306 among girls in 2025 with 997 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #305.
When was the name Joanna most popular?
Joanna peaked in 1984, when 3,332 American girls received the name (ranked #88 that year). Since 1984 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Joanna?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,805 newborn American girls was named Joanna. It scores 56/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.